Floyd Milton Baxter, Sr.

Floyd Milton Baxter, Sr., 85, of Pampa, passed away May 19, 2019 in Pampa.

Services will be 10:00 AM Thursday, May 23, 2019, at Carmichael-Whatley Colonial Chapel with Pastor Norman Rushing of Central Baptist Church, officiating.  Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors. 

Floyd was born February 18, 1934 in Lefors to Rev. George Henry and Sarah Ona Cleveland Baxter.  He attended first grade at Horace Mann Elementary in Pampa for a semester, and then returned to Lefors, attending school through the second grade.  He later attended school in Mobeetie, and Keys, Oklahoma where his father pastored, and then returned and finished school in Lefors when his father started pastoring the Pentecostal Holiness Church. 

Floyd started driving a truck for a farmer outside of Pampa when he was 16 and knew then that he would own his own truck one day.  He married Betty Sloan on September 26, 1952 with her father officiating, and they began their life together in Pampa. 

He drove for United Mud, Chemical Industries, and Phillips 66 until he purchased his first Peterbuilt in 1976, achieving his lifelong dream.  In August of 1978, tragedy happened, and he lost this truck in a wreck and subsequent fire.  In 1978, he bought a brand new red and black Peterbuilt and Great Dane trailer of which he put over a million miles on before his first knee surgery ended his days of cabover trucks. 

During his retirement from trucking, he bought, worked and restored many cars.  His pride and joy was a yellow 1964 Buick Riviera.  Floyd enjoyed fishing with his brother Ralph and playing canasta with Ralph and Jimmie.  He would be seen riding around town on his motorcycles and his 100,000 Mile Club 1972 Chevrolet pickup with the original seat covers.  He was a member of the Pentecostal Holiness Church.

Survivors include his wife, Betty Baxter; a son, Floyd M. Baxter, Jr. and wife Brenda; a daughter, Teresa Butler and husband Mike; seven grandchildren, Brandon Baxter, Sarah Bolch, Christopher Butler, James Butler, Jason Thomas, Justin Fortner and Jeffrey Fortner; several great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. 

Floyd was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Tina Marie Baxter; a sister, Alene Stroup, and five brothers, Ralph, Ruel, Boyd, George and Garland.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorials be made to Texas Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital, PO Box 190567, Dallas, Texas 75219-0567.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 from 6:00-7:00 PM.